Al-Awda Annual Convention: Uniting for Return

Al-Awda Annual Convention: Uniting for Return

Posted by: "Samia Saleh" samiasaleh65@yahoo.com
samiasaleh65 Thu Apr 12, 2007 7:33 am (PST)

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

The Palestinians Refugees Right of Return is theprimary target for liquidation by Israel, the US andArab officialdom. Many Palestinian elites view theRight of Return as a nausence, a hurdle blocking theirquest for Palestinian statehood. As Azmi Bishara notedrecently, it is the other way around: thestatehood-at- any-price project espoused, explicitlyand covertly, in some Palestinian circle is burdenningthe Palestinian refguees' quest for return. Al-Awda's upcoming convention on May 25-27 inRiverside, California represents a space and anopportuntiy to defend the Right of Return in the US(Information below). Al-Awda has been, and willcontinue to be dedicated to full Palestinian return and liberation.

Uniting for the Return: Al-Awda's Fifth AnnualInternational ConventionVENUE: University of California, Riverside, 900University Avenue, Riverside, CA, 92521DATE: May 25-27, 2007Al-Awda's Fifth Annual International Convention willbe held this year in Riverside, California, on the May25-27 memorial day week-end. The theme of this year's convention is Uniting for the Return. The date of the convention commemorates the Nakba, the59th year since the "State of Israel" was declared onstolen Palestinian land, and which led to the Zionistoccupation of all of Palestine.

This year's convention will be hosted at theUniversity of California, Riverside, by Students forJustice in Palestine. The community-based local hostcommittee currently also includes Al-Awda's Riverside,Los Angeles and San Diego chapters, The PalestinianAmerican Women's Association, The Free PalestineAlliance, The National Council of Arab Americans, TheMiddle East Cultural and Information Center, TheMuslim Students Association at Palomar College, TheMuslim Students Association at UCSD, Students forJustice in Palestine at UCLA, The Muslim StudentsUnion at UCR, and The Arab Community Center of theInland Empire.

The Program The Fifth Annual International Al-Awda Conventionpromises to be an amazing three-day event fromspeakers and workshops, a youth program, to aPalestine Cultural Dinner Event. The opening will beheld on the evening of Friday 25 May and include amoving event at which survivors of the Nakba, thegreat catastrophe, share their recollections of theirfirst-hand experience in 1948.

On Saturday May 26, the convention will devote itselfto political assessments, and to developing theongoing work of organizing Al-Awda's Right of Returncampaigns such as refugee support, media work,student, divestment, art/culture, etc., in addition toour recruitment and outreach projects.On Sunday May 27, the convention will arrive at itsresolutions based on the concrete recommendations ofthe various workshops.The Saturday evening Palestine Cultural Dinner Eventwill include keynote addresses as well as Palestinianfolkloric dance, music, a Palestinian Arab fashionshow and readings of children's writings from refugeecamps.Among the confirmed convention speakers are:Dr. Naseer Aruri, former member of The PalestineNational CouncilElias Rashmawi, National Coordinator National Councilof Arab Americans and Samia Halaby, activist, artist and Nakba survivor

INVITATION

We invite all Al-Awda members, and groups andindividuals who support the implementation of therights of Palestinian refugees to return to theirtowns and villages of origin, and to reclaim theirland, to join us in our landmark Fifth AnnualInternational Convention. The convention is asuperlative forum for activists to listen to expertpresentations and to share their own thoughts on howthey would like to see our collective efforts andcampaigns for the rights of Palestinian refugeesdevelop.Like its predecessors, Al-Awda's Fifth InternationalConvention will be one of the largest annualgatherings of Palestinian Arab activists and theirsupporters. We highly encourage out of town guests toplan and make their travel and accommodationarrangements early.

Don't Delay! Reserve Your Place Today!
To reserve, go to:http://al-awda. org/convention5/ reservations. html